IMMUNE SYSTEM

What is the immune system?

The immune system is a large network of organs, white

blood cells, proteins (antibodies) and chemicals. This
system works together to protect you from foreign
invaders (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi) that
cause infection, illness and disease.
 What does the immune system do and how does it work?

The immune system works hard to keep you

healthy. Its job is to keep germs out of your body,
destroy them or limit the extent of their harm if
they get in.
TYPES OF IMMUNE
SYSTEM
 Types of Immune System

1. Innate Immune System

2. Adaptive Immune System
 INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM
• It is the body's first line of defense against germs
entering the body.
• It responds in the same way to all germs and foreign
substances, which is why it is sometimes referred to as
the "nonspecific" immune system.
 INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM
• It acts very quickly: For instance, it makes sure that
bacteria that have entered the skin through a small
wound are detected and destroyed on the spot within a
few hours.
• It has only limited power to stop germs from spreading,
though.
 The innate immune system
consists of
• Protection offered by the skin and mucous
membranes
• Protection offered by the immune system cells
(defense cells) and proteins
 Protection offered by the skin and mucous
membranes
• All outer and inner surfaces of the human body a key
part of the innate immune system.
• The closed surface of the skin and of all mucous
membranes already forms a physical barrier against
germs, which protects them from entering.
 Protection offered by the skin and mucous
membranes
• Chemical substances like acid, enzymes or mucus
prevent bacteria and viruses from gaining a foothold.
• Movements created, for example, by hair-like
structures in the bronchi (cilia) or bowel muscles stop
germs from settling in the body.
 Protection offered by the skin and mucous
membranes
• Tear fluid, sweat and urine (which flushes the
organs of the urinary tract) have a similar effect.
 What happens during an inflammation?

When a part of the skin is infected, immune system cells

move to the area or immune system cells that are already
there are activated. Specific immune system cells release
substances into the immediate area that make the blood
vessels wider and more permeable.
 What happens during an inflammation?

This causes the area around the infection to swell, heat

up and redden, and inflammation results. A fever may
develop as well. Then the blood vessels expand further
and even more immune system cells arrive.
 Scavenger cells: Neutralizing germs

• Bacteria or viruses that enter the body can be stopped

right away by scavenger cells (phagocytes).
• Scavenger cells are special kinds of white blood cells
(leukocytes).
 Scavenger cells: Neutralizing germs

• There are also other types of immune system cells that

release substances to kill bacteria and various germs.
Both germs and body tissue and immune system cells
die and decay during an immune system response.
Their remains form pus, a yellowish fluid.
 The role of proteins
• Several proteins (enzymes) help the cells of the
innate immune system.
 The role of proteins
• A total of nine different enzymes activate one another
in a process similar to a chain reaction: One enzyme in
the first stage alerts several enzymes of the second
stage, each of which again activates several enzymes of
the third stage, and so on.
 Natural killer cells: Searching for changed
body cells
• The natural killer cells are the third major part of the innate
immune system.
• They specialize in identifying cells that are infected by a virus
or that have become tumorous.
• To do this, they search for cells that have changes in their
surface, and then destroy the cell surface using cell toxins.
 ADAPTIVE IMMUNE SYSTEM
• The adaptive immune system takes over if the innate
immune system is not able to destroy the germs.
• It specifically targets the type of germ that is causing
the infection.
 ADAPTIVE IMMUNE SYSTEM
• This memory is also the reason why there are some
illnesses you can only get once in your life, because
afterwards your body becomes “immune.”
 ADAPTIVE IMMUNE SYSTEM
• It may take a few days for the adaptive immune system
to respond the first time it comes into contact with the
germ, but the next time the body can react immediately.
• The second infection is then usually not even noticed,
or is at least milder.
 The adaptive immune system is
made up of:
• T lymphocytes in the tissue between the body's cells
• B lymphocytes, also found in the tissue between the
body's cells Antibodies in the blood and other bodily
fluids
 T lymphocytes
• T cells have three main jobs:
• They use chemical messengers to activate other immune
system cells in order to start the adaptive immune system
(T helper cells).
• They detect cells infected by viruses or tumorous cells and
destroy them (cytotoxic T cells).
 T lymphocytes
• T cells have three main jobs:
• Some T helper cells become memory T cells after the
infection has been defeated. They can "remember" which
germs were defeated and are then ready to activate the
adapted immune system quickly if there is another
infection.
 T lymphocytes
• T cells have detection features on their surfaces that can
attach to germs – like a lock that one particular key will
fit. The immune system can produce a matching T cell
type for each germ in an infection within a few days.
 B lymphocytes
• B lymphocytes (B cells) are made in the bone marrow
and then mature there to become specialized immune
system cells. They take their name from the "B" in
"bone marrow." Like the T cells, there are many
different types of B cells that match particular germs.
 B lymphocytes
• The B cells are activated by the T helper cells: T helper
cells contact B cells that match the same germs that
they do. This activates the B cells to multiply and to
transform themselves into plasma cells.
 B lymphocytes
• Some of the activated B cells transform into memory
cells and become part of the "memory" of the adaptive
immune system.
 B lymphocytes
• The various cells of the adaptive immune system
communicate either directly or via soluble chemical
messengers such as cytokines (small proteins). These
chemical messengers are mostly proteins and are
produced by different cells in the body.
 Antibodies
• Antibodies are compounds of protein and sugar that
circulate in the bloodstream.
• They are created by the immune system to fight germs
and foreign substances.
 Antibodies
• Antibodies can quickly detect germs and other
potentially harmful substances, and then attach to them.
• This neutralizes the "intruders" and attracts other
immune system cells to help.
 Antibodies
• Antibodies are produced by the B lymphocytes. Germs
and other substances that can provoke the creation of
antibodies are also referred to as "antigens."
 Antibodies
• An antibody only attaches to an antigen if it matches
exactly, like a key in the lock of the antibody. That is
how antibodies detect the matching germs to initiate a
fast response from the adaptive immune system.
 Antibodies
• Antibodies have three main functions:
• They neutralize germs, e.g. by directly attaching to the cell
surfaces of viruses or bacteria, or by attaching to their
toxins. This prevents the germs from latching onto the
regular cells of the body and infecting them.
 Antibodies
• Antibodies have three main functions:
• They activate other immune system cells by attaching to
their surfaces. Scavenger cells are better able to fight off
germs that are loaded with antibodies, too.
• They activate proteins that help in the immune system
response. The antibodies of the adaptive immune system
also support the innate immune system.
 Types of Immune System
Innate Immune System Adaptive Immune System
• Non-specific Response • Specific Response
• Immediate Response • Lag time between antigen
exposure and response
• Retain no immunological • Retains immunological memory
memory
• Found in nearly all forms of life • Found only on jawed vertebrates
 Immune System in Animals
Animals are vulnerable to microbial invasion, which is
prevented by physical barriers such as the skin, the
mucociliary apparatus, and adaptive immunity.
 Immune System in Animals
The first line of defense is physical barriers, such as the
skin, which has its own microbiota and uses dessication
to discourage colonization.
 Immune System in Animals
The second line of defense is a "hard-wired" system of
innate immunity, which relies on a rapid response to stop
and kill bacteria and viruses. The third line of defense is
the highly complex, specific, and long-lasting adaptive
immunity.
 Immune System in Plants
Plants have evolved resistance proteins that detect
effector-induced perturbations in their cells, allowing
them to recognize a large number of pathogens with
similar infection strategies.
 Immune System in Plants
Dynamic transcriptional and post-transcriptional
regulation of R protein levels is thought to minimize the
risk of autoimmunity.
 Immune System in Plants
Pathogen-infected tissues generate a mobile immune
signal that induces systemic acquired resistance (SAR).
Epigenetic modifications and site-specific chromatin
remodelling provide a long-lasting memory of pathogen
attack.
 IMMUNE SYSTEM IN
ANIMALS
They have an immune system
with adaptive and innate
immunity
They have the ability to mount
an adaptive immune response,
which allows them to recognize
and respond to specific
pathogens with targeted
antibodies
IMMUNE SYSTEM IN
PLANTS
They have innate immune
response mechanisms to
Both respond to pathogens detect and respond to
with chemical and physical pathogens, but lack
barriers, such as cell walls in adaptive immune
plants and skin in animals response
They lack ability to mount an
Both can suffer from diseases caused adaptive immune response
by pathogens
Plants have innate immune
response mechanisms that
allow them to detect and
respond to pathogens using
chemical signals